Customer Reviews

Enemy In The Ashes

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book starts out with a terrorist getting plutonium to take over the oil supply in the persian gulf countries. They plan to explode the plutonium at the oil fields to render the area radioactive for hundreds of years and useless to oil production unless their demands are met. The new U.N. in the post WW III era can't protect the fields and the terrorist take over. The U.N. is powerless in its bureaucracy and want to negotiate. Ben Raines and the Southern United States of America will not agree and takes the fight to the terrorist. They go into action to stop them from using the plutonium and then to eliminate the terrorist permanently.

I have read the majority of the Ashes series and waited in anticipation for this new installment to come out. After reading the book, I had to think about the idea I heard that someone else is writing the last few Ashes books. Based on the fact that in this book the author uses the same writing that all the other books contained but threw in a part about a spaceship and aliens. This is totally absurd and uncharacteristic of other books in the Ashes series. All in all the book has a good story line that reflects on what has happened within the past year and a half.

As a long time and consistent fan of Johnstone's books, I would give 4 or 5 stars to everything previous to the last 3 in this series. Starting with the last 3 I noticed an ongoing change of authorship.

The basic plot line is still there, but there were many mistakes, especially between character relationships. This last one was the worst and most obvious.

Aliens?! You have got to be kidding!

It looks like the authors (no, I did not make a mistake, I meant it to be plural) are going to try to rip off Turtledove's great series.

Come on Bill. How about at least acting as an editor. The people that have replace you just don't cut it.

If the next ashes book takes off on the alien theme, you can cross me off the list of prospective buyers. I'd rather see you start an new series.

I've read every book in the series. Except for the first one, the Ashes series flowed fairly smoothly. However, it's getting a little long in the tooth. The series tends to wander into tangents now, as if it's looking for filler material to find a way to justify another book. Considering all the damage that took place during the Rebel battles to eliminate the mutations in the world, it's not practical to think that the world would have made that much of a recovery that fast and then return to the same attitudes that brought about the problems in the first place. Aliens, now? Don't get desperate! Although it is science fiction, it should still follow a logical sequence and be halfway believeable. End the series with a bang, not a whimper. Follow the lead Jerry Ahern did with his Survivalist series. He knew when to quit, too.

The book is a great story, the last one needed to complete my collection. Condition of the book is excellent as Well! Service from seller excellent.

This installment really brings home that the series has outlived its value. The series has never paid attention to timelines as the author tries to work in today's issues. If the big one happened in the early 80's at the start of the series,there should be some credibility in the storyline. If that's not possible,hang it up. This isn't the first book to bring in a supernatural element. Early in the series there was a character called ,"The Prophert," an old man who wandered around and ran into Ben Raines now and then. Now we have aliens. It's been fun,but,time to stop. Retire Ben..marry off Coop and Jersey and let Buddy battle aliens in another series.

As usual this is an excellent book. May be a little wild in some respects but if we don't keep close watch on the present socialists in our government we may very well be in the situation outlined in this series. If any one can tell me where to get more than the 5 I have I would appreciate the information.